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Whitley County BZA approves Triad special exception with buffering and driveway conditions
Summary
The Whitley County Board of Zoning Appeals granted Triad Indiana Holding LLC a special exception to expand an outdoor steel laydown yard east of its Columbia City facility, requiring a 9-foot effective buffer (3-foot berm plus trees or fence), county engineer approval of drives, and limits on lighting and signage; the board amended the screening to avoid a north berm where truck movements require clear radius.
The Whitley County Board of Zoning Appeals on Nov. 25 approved a special exception allowing Triad Indiana Holding LLC to expand an outdoor steel laydown yard adjacent to its Columbia City facility, with conditions aimed at minimizing visual and traffic impacts.
Nathan, county planning staff, told the board the parcel in question is part of a roughly 12‑acre parent tract east of Triad’s existing site near East 100 South and US 30 and is zoned IPM (Industrial Park Manufacturing). He said the request is a special exception because outdoor storage is not a permitted use without conditions and noted staff’s primary concern was adequate buffering and driveway design to avoid neighborhood impacts.
Steve Fryman, the petitioner and owner of Triad’s operations, said the company needs additional outdoor laydown space to move steel offsite and free indoor manufacturing capacity. Fryman estimated modest growth in employee trips and “another 10 to 20 semis a day” on busy days as material is delivered and shipped.
After discussion about sight lines and truck turning radii, the board approved a set of conditions recommended by staff. The conditions require screening on the east property line (and retain existing vegetation on the south), with a minimum effective height of 9 feet measured from adjacent road elevations. That 9 feet may be achieved by a 3‑foot berm plus either a double row of 6‑foot conifers (spaced no more than 20 feet on center), a double row of 1½‑inch caliper deciduous shade trees (spaced no more than 30 feet on center at installation), or a 6‑foot opaque fence — or a combination of those measures. Driveway designs must be approved by the county engineer and highway department, interior drives may remain gravel where appropriate for industrial use, and lighting must be shielded to prevent spillage onto nearby residences. All signage must conform to existing code.
Board members pressed for flexibility so screenings can be practical for truck movements. Fryman said he preferred berms for durability, but was open to combinations (berm plus mesh fence) if neighbors preferred greater screening. Neighbor John Rogers, the current owner of an adjacent parcel, told the board he favored a berm with trees as a long‑term low‑maintenance solution.
The board also amended staff’s initial screening condition to remove a proposed north‑side berm where members concluded a berm could interfere with semis’ turning radius; the amended condition preserves the buffering requirement on the east side. The motion to approve the special exception with staff’s conditions (as amended) passed unanimously.
The board did not set a specific implementation timeline; staff and the petitioner were directed to work out final engineering details with the county highway and engineering offices.
The BZA’s action allows Triad to proceed with the expanded laydown yard under the stated conditions; compliance with driveway approval and buffer installation will be required before full operation of the new outdoor area.
